Padres To Push For Fukudome?

One National League exec has indicated to a source of mine that the Padres plan to go hard for Kosuke Fukudome. Apparently, Kevin Towers nearly signed him out of high school as a shortstop.

We’ve heard Fukudome mentioned mainly as a right fielder, but the Friars have Brian Giles signed through 2008. Perhaps they’d try him in center field for one year, where he’d probably be adequate at best. Fukudome is currently recovering from endoscopic elbow surgery, but he should be ready for spring.

Previously we’ve seen the White Sox, Giants, Red Sox, Cubs, and Yankees linked to Fukudome at varying levels of speculation.